Episode Summary:

Discover why we "Knock on Wood" or "Touch Wood" when things are going well, going badly, or we want to invite positive spirits to help us. This practice goes back centuries so prepare for this informative journey back to the 1600s.

Expanded Summary and Partial Transcript:

I was listening to Serious/XM radio the other day, when a song by Eddie Floyd came on called, “Knock on Wood”. The opening line goes,

“I don’t want to loose this good thing that I got. If I do, I will surely, surely loose a lot. Cause her love is better, than any love I know. It’s like thunder and lightning. The way you love me is frightening. I better knock on wood.”

Eddie goes on to say he’s not superstitious about his lady, but he can’t take a chance.
Do you have any little trace of superstition when things are going really well, or really badly, that leads you to say, “I better knock of wood” and then you proceed to do exactly that?

Where does that saying - and the superstition that goes along with it - come from?
Stay tuned and we’ll investigate that very question in this episode of, “History of Everyday Sayings”.

This is your host Stephen Carter welcoming you to episode 9 of, “History of Everyday Sayings”.

This show is for you if you are a logophile - meaning of course lover of words - a writer, speaker, a philomath, or someone who simply loves history tidbits that feed your curiosity.

Speaking of tidbits, each episode is short and bitesized for easy listening and recall. By listening, you’ll discover how phrases and words we use everyday came to be. There will be many surprises along our language journey, so pack your curiosity and let’s explore our phrase of the day, Knock on Wood.

As we dust off tomes from days gone by, let’s first have a look at the the “QPB Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins”. Author and logophile Robert Henderson tells us the superstition is old with no sure origin. He suggests it may be of Pagan origin when people would knock on trees to encourage protection from friendly spirits who, the belief went, lived inside of those large stately trees.

There is also speculation the phrase could have originated in devout believers touching wooden crosses or praying with wooden Rosary beads.

The authoritative website and phrase source database, “Phrases.org”, also points to the association of trees and wood with friendly spirits. The British version of "Knock on Wood" is "Touch Wood". According to Phrases.org, the term "Touch Wood" was preceded by the Latin phrase, "absit omen', which translate as, 'far be that omen from us’”. This phrase was used by John Heywood in a published work from the early 17th century.

The American term, “Knock on Wood” appeared in a post for, “The Syracuse Herald,” in February 1905, reading:

“Neglecting to knock on wood may have been responsible for the weather's unseemly behaviour today.”

Perhaps a few taps on a stately tree to implore friendly spirits to encouraging Mother Nature to be kind to those in Syracuse, New York, would have changed weather for the better.

Returning to Eddie Floyd, by 1966 when he co-wrote and recorded, “Knock on Wood” he was an established song writer for Stax Records, writing hits for A-List artists such as Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, and many other R&B stars. "Knock on Wood" was covered by more than a hundred other artists including David Bowie, Count Basie, and Otis Reading.

Eddie Floyd certainly did “knock on wood” and got the attention of the right musical spirits.

Thanks for listening! If you're curious about exploring more about the phrase “Knock on Wood”, , you’ll find the references I used for this episode in our show notes.
For more “Amazing History of Everyday Sayings” tasty auditory tidbits you can use to amaze friends and family, subscribe for free where you get your podcasts. If you would like to comment on this or any other episode, email me at CarterMethod@gmail.com.
Until our next visit, I’m your host Stephen Carter wishing you blessings in abundance.

Host: Stephen Carter, CEO, Stress Solutions, LLC. https://www.EFT-MD.com
Email: CarterMethod@gmail.com

Technical information:

Original recording and editing done with Audacity.
Processed through Auphonic.
Microphone: Neat King Bee

Sources:

Robert Hendrickson, "QPB Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins"; page 480.

“The Phrase Finder”: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/knock-on-wood.html

Eddie Floyd - “Knock on Wood”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kceiks__PsE

Eddit Floyd’s musical career: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Floyd#:~:text=Floyd%20signed%20a%20contract%20with,%22%2C%20recorded%20by%20Carla%20Thomas.&text=The%20Steve%20Cropper%2DEddie%20Floyd,David%20Bowie%20to%20Count%20Basie.

Key words: knock on wood, Rosary, Cross, touch wood, Stephen Carter, Stress Solutions LLC, Eddie Floyd,